Does Watching Porn Increase Erectile Dysfunction in Men?

A new study found that the more a man watches porn, the more likely he is to experience erectile dysfunction, but does this mean that porn is inherently bad?

This study found that the more a man watches porn, the more likely he is to experience erectile dysfunction. Here’s what they found: 

• Erectile dysfunction mostly affects older men, but the study authors found that 23% of men under 35 had experienced the condition.
• They said the correlation between porn consumption and erectile dysfunction was “higher than expected.”

READ THE STUDY HERE

The authors of the study state that: 

“There’s no doubt that porn conditions the way we view sex; in our survey only 65% of men felt that sex with a partner was more exciting than watching porn. In addition, 20% felt that they needed to watch more extreme porn to get the same level of arousal as previously. We believe that the erectile dysfunction problems associated with porn stem from this lack of arousal.”

So does this study finally prove that porn is bad and we should avoid it at all costs?

Actually, no. To me, this study once again highlights the dysfunctional relationship our society has with sex and pleasure.

Pornography has existed for thousands of years in various forms. The ancient chinese pillow books which contained drawings of people having intercourse were used by couples to stimulate arousal and communication around sexual pleasure and desires.

In fact, according to Wikipedia:

 “Depictions of a sexual nature have existed since prehistoric times, as seen in the Venus figurines and rock art.[22] A vast number of artifacts have been discovered from ancient Mesopotamia depicting explicit heterosexual sex.[23][24]

Glyptic art from the Sumerian Early Dynastic Period frequently shows scenes of frontal sex in the missionary position.[23] In Mesopotamian votive plaques from the early second millennium BC, the man is usually shown entering the woman from behind while she bends over, drinking beer through a straw.[23] Middle Assyrian lead votive figurines often represent the man standing and penetrating the woman as she rests on top of an altar.[23] Scholars have traditionally interpreted all these depictions as scenes of ritual sex,[23] but they are more likely to be associated with the cult of Inanna, the goddess of sex and prostitution.[23] Many sexually explicit images were found in the temple of Inanna at Assur,[23] which also contained models of male and female sexual organs.”

Being turned on by watching other people have sex is normal and healthy human behavior. Porn itself is not the problem, the way in which it is being used IS.

Here are 2 reasons it’s not the porn causing the ED:

#1. Excessive ejaculation – Daniel P. Reid author of the book “The Tao of Health, Sex, and Longevity” states that in the ancient tradition of Taoist sexuality, the leading cause of ED is chronic, unregulated ejaculation. The number #1 cure according to this 5,000 -year-old tradition? LOTS of sexual stimulation with zero to “infrequent” ejaculation. 

Given that most men do not grasp the distinction between orgasm and ejaculation, masturbating to porn generally leads to excessive ejaculation, which is depleting for the male body.

The theory put forward in the Taoist and Tantric traditions alike is that building LOTS of sexual energy and RETAINING it through the practice of semen retention and non-ejaculatory orgasms is the fastest way to recover from the loss of vital essence that occurs with excessive male ejaculation. 

#2. Mirror neurons! Mirror neurons can be defined as a group of neurons that activate when we perform an action or when we see an action being performed. Mirror neurons allow us to learn through imitation. They enable us to reflect on body language, facial expressions, and emotions- and… sexual behavior.  *Source – https://blog.cognifit.com/mirror-neurons/

Human beings are wired to learn via WATCHING- monkey see, monkey do. This is an issue when it comes to porn because the sexual interactions in porn are based in fantasy, for the purpose of entertainment. They are NOT meant to be educational.

And yet, due to a lack of other options, this is where most young men in modern society receive their sex education.

RELATED: Find Ethical Porn HERE!

In fact, a new survey commissioned by the BBC Three series Porn Laid Bare – which asked more than 1,000 people online in Great Britain, aged 18-25, about their relationship to pornography – revealed 55% of men said porn had been their main source of sex education.  

The sexual experiences depicted in mainstream porn are based upon the fantasies of men who have had no advanced sex education or training themselves. The actors are often as ignorant about female pleasure, non-ejaculatory orgasms, and healthy sexual communication as the average person. And yet, in the absence of comprehensive, pleasure-based sex education, these are the “role models” in the modern age for what sex should look and feel like.

When young men chronically masturbate to the visual images of “porn sex” they are powerfully rewiring their nervous systems to interpret THIS and only THIS as arousing and pleasurable. This is because of the high levels of dopamine produced as one approaches the reward of orgasm. The brain wires this image, to this stimulation, to this dopamine hit, (“YAY! Let’s do that again!”)  Also, the climate of secrecy and shame surrounding sexual self-pleasure encourages young men to “beat the meat” as quickly and quietly as possible, thus also wiring into the nervous system the need for speed, secrecy and silence around their sexual experiences, with an emphasis on orgasm/climax (not connection and SHARED pleasure) as the one and only goal.

For those trained to look for quick solutions, (which is a feature of contemporary society) the messiness of human sexual connection with all of its uncertainty, insecurity, and fumblings towards ecstasy will begin to pale in comparison to this porn-induced, neatly packaged, yet very shallow vision of sexuality.

With the toxic combination of sexual shame, sexual trauma, lack of connection, and absence of pleasure-based sex education, porn can become yet another substance we use to “fill the void.”

And yet with a correct understanding of what human sexuality is REALLY about (enhancing pleasure chemicals, cultivating joy and connection, and the realization of your ultimate bliss nature) and comprehensive education around the mechanics of human sexual anatomy and pleasure, porn can be a wonderful tool to enhance your sexual experience with yourself and/or a partner.